Hernandez is an acclaimed performer, director, choreographer and playwright known for her effective fusion of theater, hip-hop, dance and education. With multi-disciplinary composer Victor Simonson, the pair offers an assembly of stories about race, identity and connection to home in an hour-long piece. In development workshops directed by Hernandez, it will travel to several regional and New York City area venues in 2017. Stomping Groundswill then premiere at The Glimmerglass Festival July 30, August 1, 7 and 8.

“The partnership with Glimmerglass will be innovative in its fusion of hip-hop and opera and the inclusion of artists of color throughout the entire process. Stomping Grounds aims to honor each art form in ways that are modern, inventive and authentic,” Hernandez said.

Written entirely in verse, Stomping Grounds is about defining home in the deepest sense. Its story will emerge from the gentrification of a neighborhood, the disruption of sacred land and the fracturing of tradition and history by contemporary realities. The music will be performed with electronic accompaniment and piano.

“Stomping Grounds seeks to bridge the gap between hip-hop and opera by creating a new art form that will speak profoundly to both the opera and hip-hop communities,” Simonson said. “By combining both genres seamlessly, we hope to attract new audiences who have not experienced the power of opera. Likewise, opera lovers will have the opportunity to experience the power and passion of hip-hop music.”

“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground”. – Theodore Roosevelt

Hip-hop, spoken word and opera seamlessly blend for this one of kind exploration of love, faith and home. Stories of refugees, immigrants and natives intertwine as we meet several characters on different parts of their journey. They all have in common what brought them together: coffee grounds and sacred grounds. Quickly, we learn that chance meetings are really destiny and that life sometimes uproots us and plants us somewhere else. Which leaves us to question: Whose ground do you stand on? What if you were asked to leave? To return? All good things come from the ground…all you have to do is stomp to reconnect.